Latching means for binders



Oct. 29, 1929. A. M. MARTIN LATCHING MEANS FOR BINDERS Fild Feb. 8, 1929 Patented Oct 2 9, 1929 ALFRED MQMn 'r-IN, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS LATCHING" MEANS ron nmnnns Application filed February a, 1929. SerialNo. 338,396.

This invention relates to latching means for book-type binders of the kindin which there is a pair of back membershinged together. o 5 It is not broadly new to provide catch means for holding the back members spread apart to sonieentent in a certain type of binders, as witness the patent to Stoddard, No. 1,401,566 of Dec. 27,1921.

The copending application of Harry J. Dornes, filed June 21,1928 as Ser. No. 287,128 on latch means'i'or loose leai binders illus trates, describes and claims certain structural matter shown in this present application. in said Dornes application it is stated that with respect to what are known as non-shift binders the main object of his invention is to" provide simple andadvantageous means for holding the back members releasably in 20 a partlyspread-apart condition; and that o with respect to what is known as a shiftbinder the chiefob1ect1s to provide means'ror holding the back members ln-such intermediate or partly-open position while permitting one of the back members to be shifted relative to the other; and, further, thatit is an object to accomplish these results by simple means, and by means so directly associated with the catch means for holding the a binder closed that a single manual control will suflice for both. r

The objects of the present invention include those just mentioned, and the further one of providing means for releasablymain- 3 taining inoperative the means for holding the back members in .the partly-open posi tion, whereby the hinged back members of the binder maybe swung ireely toward and away from each other repeatedly and through a wide range without manipulating a releasing mechanism each time, as is necessary according to the Dornes device mentioned.

The importance of the present improve ments arises chiefly in connection with the acts of inserting and removing sheets. Sometimes there are many sheetsto be removed as for permanent filling, and frequently these sheet-removing-and-inserting operations are continued all day long, as where the operator is posting information on the cards or sheets by a-billi'ng or .posting'machine. In such' case sheets here and there throughout the binder are selected, withdrawn, Written upon by machine, and replaced in the book'.

The Dornes disclosure mentioned serves admirably where such posting is done by pen and 'inkdirectly upon the sheets, without taking them out of the binder. Its use is somewhat inconvenient, however, when there is a considerable amount ofinsertion orree I moval of sheets. The means I suggesth'ere in for overcoming suclrdisadvantage 'com prise, inthe specific form illustrated, provisions rendering .theDornes intermediate latch slidable so as to raise it into inoperative position, with means shown ,as, abend or kink in the spring-which actuates theauxiliary or intermediate latch for holding the latch releasably in its inoperative position.l

In my copending application Serial No.

318,397, filed October-.19, 1928, Ihave shown other means for accomplishing the results in, connection with the saidDornes device.

In the drawings Figure .1 islan end view of the preferredtype of binder showing the said Dornes inventi'onapplied theretoiand' with. the back members of the binder held partlyspread apart. Fig.1 is to be assumed as containing the present invention also;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary and broken top I View of the binder of F 1 and with the parts in the same relative position;

, Fig. 3 tional view of the binder directed toward. the back members, with theback members fully closed. Assume the binderzof Fig. ,1 fully closed and then turned upsidedown, with certain covering or frame parts broken away. I The section is substantially on the brokenline 33 of F 1. Itshows'the mechanisms in the hollow interior of the right-hand one of theback members as viewed" in Fig.1; 4

Fig. i is a fragmentary sectional View. as on the broken line 4& of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional viewat the broken line 55. of Fig. i.

is a fragmentary and broken sec- Binders of the kind referred to are inva- 3. These locking means are shown as comprising a pair of headed leaf-like latch projections 10 rigidly secured to back member A and projecting so as to enter the openings 11 respectively in the inner wall 12 of the back member B. Mounted for sliding movement in the hollow interior of the back member B, and in the corner between the walls 12 and 15 thereof, are two angle iron pieces 13 (Fig. 3), each comprising a web 13 lying against the wall 12 and a web 13 resting on the wall 15, and extending over these angle iron pieces 13 are retaining brackets 14 secured as by spot-welding to the longitudi nally-extending sheet metal frame part or wall 15 The top or outer surface of this plate-like frame part 15 is seen in Fig. 2

while the bottom or inner surface of it is' seen in Fig.3.

Each web '13 has an opening in it adjacent-to the associated latch projection 10 so that there is a part 13 thereof engaged by the head of the projection 10, as shown in .Fig. 3, thus holding the two back members together.

These 'twoangle iron members 13 are con 'nected by'a thin piece of strip metal ltispotwelded to the webs 13 so that when the finger piece 17 (integral with the lower angle 0 iron piece 13 in Fig. 3) is pushed inward boti of these members 13 are moved against the resistance of the compression spring 18 and the parts at 13 are respectively freed from the heads "of the projections whereby the 5 back members may swing apart on their hinge connection at 19.

means do not provide for longitudinal shift ing movements of the back'members relatively to each other, nor do they hold the binder in a partially open position. In the shift binder they hold the back members against longitudinal shifting when the book is closed, which is animporta'nt function. This and other considerations, including the small amount'of'space available in the hollow interior of the back members, indicate that the auxiliary means for holdingthe backs partly open, andfor shifting movements in the shift book, should be independent ofthe locking means just described, although desirably under the same control. p

Turnin to the auxiliary latching device, note first from Figs. 1 and 2 the latch member 20 having its free end 21-turned over to ease form a hook, its other end at 22 being mounted in the frame plate for swinging movements of the latch member by a pair of ears 28 (Fig. 5) passing through holes 24 in the plate, these ears being then bent over to form a loose connection permitting the free end 21 of the latch 20 to move away from and toward the plate 15 The latch member 20 is in effect bowed upward by its two flat sides 20 and 20" forming a ridge between them, this construction providing that the part 20 will rest upon the frame plate 15 see Fig. 1) thus limiting movement in that direction, and then the latch end 21 will be in position to slide over the catch 25 having the body part 25 secured as by spot-welding on the outer surfaceof the plate 15?.

From'Fig. 2 note the irregular opening 28 in the latch 20. From the material originally there an integral rectangular leaf 29 is formed which in Fig. 2 is shown as passing through a rectangular opening 30 in the frame part 15. 'We see it emerging from the other side in Figs. 3 and 4. It has hole through which extends loosely a spring wire 31 and the spring 31 is held rigidly at 32 by a covering and retaining plate spot-welded to frame plate 15. The tension of spring31 upward in Figs. 4 and 5. Its effect is to draw the latch member 20 downward in On the metal strip 16is rigidly secured, as by spot-welding, a cam'element having a base 40 (Figs. 3 and5) and an upstanding cam part 41. In Figs. 1 and2 it is seen projecting outwardly. It passes through a long and narrow opening 42 in frame part 15 andinto a rectangular opening 43 (Fig. 2) in the latch member 20. Its slanting surface at 41* is op posite one end of the opening 43 and it engages the metal there when the linger piece is forced inward. Th'is action pushes the latch member 20upward in Fi 1 as shown by the dotted lines, thereby releasing the latch element 21 from the catch 25. the finger piece is such as to carry the outer end of the cam 41 under the latching member '20 thus holding member 20 free of the catch 25 so long as the finger piece is held advanced.

. Figs. 4 and 5 show an angle iron cleat having a web 'spotwelded to the wall 12 and a web 51 overlying the part 40, thus holding the cam member in position.

When the latch 20 is in its operative position and the book is entirely open and the backs are then swung toward each other the latch end 21 first comes against the catch 25 and then slides over it, against resistance of the spring 31, and then the parts become caught at 21and-25 as shown by Fig. 1. From this intermediate or partly-open position the backs can be moved further toward each other and completely closed, whereupon the locking elements 10 come into effect and hold the book The stroke of closed, in which" final or closedposition'the latch member has no holding'effect.

The upward'longitudinal shifting of 'one side of the binder or back-member is permitted by spaces 19. (Fig. 3) between'the hingelugs of the respective back members. Thelatching member 20 is substantially Wide and the engagement at 21-25 (Fig. 2) is thus maintained during the longitudinal shifting movemember relative to the may be done much more easily than if one side of the binder and its mass of sheet'material are elevated by hand to make the prongs and 46 overlap and then held in'that raised position while the transverse sheet-shifting operations are being performed. lVith this intermediate-position latching feature incorporated the operator can manipulate the sheets from side to side and shift a back member longitudinally while permitting the binder as a whole to rest at all times in the position of Fig. 1. Entries may also be made by hand without removing the sheets.

What I have more specifically thus far de-' scribed herein. is theadvance made by the Dornes improvement mentioned. Since that has been incorporated in the binder, at considerable expense for dies, etc., one of my problems was to embody the present invention in a form which would utilize that latch construction, and with as littleadditional expense as possible. The present improvements may be variously embodied, both with and without the said Domes-auxiliary latch means.

Turning now tothe subject matter which is novel over said Dornes invention, note first that the holes or openings 24 (Figs. 2 and 3) are elongated, and are narrow slots or slits in the frame part 15. The more narrow striplike pieces of metal passing through these slots 24 and terminating in the retaining cars 23 may therefore slide or shift in these slots, which means that the latch 20 as a whole may shift in the longitudinal direction of the hinge pin 19. In Fig. 2 the latch 20 would shift downward. Such shifting movement of the latch is effected by the operators finger. He simply reaches in between the prongs and pushes the latch 20 toward his body as he is normally positioned.

Such shifting of the latch 20 causes the metal at the opening 43 (Fig. 2) to override the cam projection 41, which, being unyielding in the downward direction as viewed in Fig. 1, causes the latch 20 to rise into its dotted line positionin' Fig. 1, r1-e ingth holding'elements 21'25. If the latch 20 were held such shifted position the back members could be moved toward and away from each. other throughout substantially their whole range of movement the same as if the intermediate latching device 20 were not present I I Note from. Fig. 4 that the wire spring 31 has a kin k 'or bend in the path ofmovement of the car 29. The latch 20 has been shifted to the left, as viewed inFig. 4, out

'of'it s position shown infFig. 2. In that movement the metal defining the hole 29 in the ear 29 passed overthe'bump, bend 'orkink 60 against spring pressure; As shownin Fig t the latch 20 is held by the bump 50 against casual retractiong- The operator may, however, push "thelatch 20 in'the reverse direc 7 tion 'at'any time. b I, I

The opening 30 .(Figs. 2 and 3) is suihciently enlarged to permitthe latch-shifting move ment mentioned. I

' In my saidcopending application thelatch 20 is releasably" maintained inoperative through'meansassociated with the control 1'7. According to the present improvements that control remains operative both to release the catchelements 10 and to release temporarily the intermediate latch'20; but when the opera'tor desires to maintain the latch 20 inoperative for a considerable period he sets it manually" in the inoperative position where it remains untll pushed back nto its first position' The present construction evercomes the add tlonof'parts and somewhat simplifies, the 'operators mental movements.

Icontemplateas being included in this invention all such changes, departuresand modifications from what isthus specifically scope of the appendedelaims.

I claim:

illustrated andldescribed as fallwithin the 1. In a binder. of the character described having a .pair of back members hinged together, the combination therewith of means for holding the back members releasably in closed position, means independent .ofsaid holding means for holding the back members releasably in a partially-open position,-and

means common to both of said holding means when said independent means are in operative position for releasing them respectively to open the binder fully, said independent means being mounted for movement by hand into and out of operative position and being free of operation'by said'means common to both of saidholding means whenmoved into its inoperative position;

2. In a binder of the character described having a pair of back members hinged to gether, the combination therewith of means for holding the back members releasably in closed position, operating means including a finger piece for releasing said holding means,

latching means independent of saidholding means for holding the back members releasably in a partly-open position, and means operatively connecting said latching means to said operating means whereby an operation of the finger piece will release said latching means when in operative position, said independent latching means being mounted for movement into and out of operative position and being free of the operation of said finger piece and associated means when in its inoperative position. 7

3. In a shift binderof the character described having a pair of back members hinged together and having provisions. whereby one back member may shift relative to the other thereof, the combination therewith of means for holding the back members releasably in a partly-open position in all shifted positions of one back member relative to the other thereof, and means under the control of the operator for releasing said holding'means when said holding means are in operative position, holding means including a member mounted for movement into and out of operative position and being free of the operation of said means under the control of the operator when out of operative position.

4.111 a shift binder of the character described having a pair of back members hinged together and having provisions whereby one back member may shiftrelative to the other thereof on the hinge connection between them, the combination therewith of releasable holding means for maintaining the. back members in partly-open position during shifting movements of one back member relative to the other thereof on their hinge connect-ion, and means under the control of the operator for releasing said holding'means,

when said holding means are in operative position, whereby the back members may open fully, the arrangement being such that when the back members are moved toward each other from the fully-open position into said partly-open position said holding means will automatically again hold the back members in that partly-open position, said releasable holding means including a swinging latch member mounted for bodily movement in directions transverse of its swinging movements into and out of operative position and being free of the operation of said means under the control of the operator when so moved transversely out of operative position.

5. A latching devicefor a binder of the character described having back members hinged together, comprising a latch member mounted on one back member toswing in directions toward and away from the other back member, with cooperating catch means on said other back member, and means under the control of the operator for operating said latch member when in its operative position,

said latch member being mounted for shiftrespectively,

ALFRED M; MARTIN. 

